1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a loading mechanism in a tape player, and more particularly to a mechanism capable of automatically and appropriately carrying out tape pack insertion by utilizing a driving force of a motor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, as a mechanism for inserting and ejecting a tape pack in a tape player, there has conventionally been proposed such a manner manually inserting a tape pack and operating inner guide mechanisms with that manual force, thus setting a tape at a predetermined position. Particularly in a manner of horizontally inserting a tape pack from a front face of the player, it is necessary, upon insertion, to vertically drop a tape pack and to bring a capstan, a reel, etc. in engagement with the cassette in the predetermined position. Further, upon ejection, it is necessary to vertically raise the cassette pack for being released from the capstan and the reel, thereafter pushing the cassette pack out of an opening of the front face at a certain extent. Those operations of the guide mechanisms for insertion and ejection require a certain operational force.
In recent years, improvements in operability are desired in all the machines and apparatuses and a tape player is not exceptional, either. Then, it has been required to reduce operational force upon insertion and ejection of a cassette type tape pack. In this connection, improvements in a loading mechanism utilizing motor power has become needed because a merely structural improvement cannot achieve a sufficient operability.
Further, in a type of tape players, since there is provided a distance between an insertion opening of a front face and inner mechanisms in order to combine with a radio set or to dispose volume adjuster, etc., the tape pack has to be pushed in from the front face to an extent. However, if the opening is so large just to receive the tape pack only, it is impossible to manually insert the tape pack. Therefore, there has been proposed a mechanism for pulling the tape pack up to the rear end by a spring force. However, in such a mechanism it is necessary to store a pulling force in the spring, thus requiring a relatively large operational force, resulting in inferior operability.